Results tagged ‘ Adam Heether ’

Infielder Adam Heether, who was added to Milwaukee’s 40-man roster earlier this month and will compete for a job as a backup Brewers infielder next spring, returned home from the Venezuelan Winter League this week after he strained a rib-cage muscle. Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash called the injury — an intercostal strain — “very minor.”

The move made sense in part because another Brewers infielder is about to head in the opposite direction. Third base prospect Mat Gamel is getting married on Saturday and is scheduled to travel to Venezuela on the day after Thanksgiving for a stint in winter ball. Gamel will work out with the Caracas team for about five days before debuting in a game sometime in early December.

The Brewers added infielder Adam Heether to the 40-man roster on Monday while reinstating second baseman Rickie Weeks and right-handers Mark DiFelice and David Riske from the 60-day disabled list.

Six spots were cleared last week when outfielders Mike Cameron, Frank Catalanotto and Corey Patterson, catcher Jason Kendall and infielder Felipe Lopez elected free agency and the team declined reliever David Weathers’ club option, making him a free agent.

The Brewers say their 40-man roster stands at 37. But that figure still includes free agents Craig Counsell, Claudio Vargas and Weathers, who as of Monday morning had not formally filed for free agency.

[Counsell and Weathers did file later in the day Monday, further reducing the roster to 35 players.]

Heether turns 28 in January and could be a right-handed utility option for the Brewers next season because he can play any infield position and also saw action in left field in 2009. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Nashville, where he batted .293 with 16 home runs, 59 RBIs and an outstanding .400 on-base percentage. He’s currently playing for Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Weeks, DiFelice and Riske will all be returning from injury. Weeks, expected back next year as Milwaukee’s leadoff hitter, underwent surgery in early may to repair a tendon sheath in his left wrist and has now had both wrists surgically-repaired. Riske lost the whole season to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will be entering the final season of a three-year contract. DiFelice ended the season on the DL with a shoulder injury but avoided surgery.

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